Finding the New
by shadowcat012
Summary: To break free from the curse should have been a cause for celebration, yet Momiji can only feel loneliness. To lose oneself in a new hobby should create an outlet to troubles and sorrows, yet Miharu finds herself stuck in a rut. LearningToBreathe sidestor


A/N: This is a side story to the fanfiction, Learning to Breathe. I've wanted to do this couple from the beginning, but the way the story is going, I haven't been able to hint at it at all. And anyway I want to do so much more than just hint. Momiji deserves much more than just a hinted relationship anyhow.

Oh yeah, and there're little spoilers here and there for the next chapter of Learning to Breathe. Sorry about that.

Summary: To break free from the curse should have been a cause for celebration, yet Momiji can only feel loneliness. To lose oneself in a new hobby should create an outlet to troubles and sorrows, yet Miharu finds herself stuck at the bottom of a hole where emotions are snakes disguised as a way out.

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**Finding the New**

Everyday he saw their relationship linking them closer together. Everyday he watched as the people he grew up with drifted away. Loneliness tore at him every second of every hour every day. A smile was difficult to paste up for show, yet somehow he managed to find a way. He never asked for this. He never asked to be detached from the one world he knew. He may have longed, but never dared. His family was complete even without him. Where was there to turn in the world but his own self?

Days pass. A new life is painful to achieve; but not impossible.

--

Her fingers strummed the strings of the guitar. Soft, calming strums drifted throughout the room. Kovu had warned her not to lose herself in the music; but since when did she take extra care to follow precautions?

She had no particular desire to head home. Both her cousins were deep in a dark void that she had no interest in sinking into. She wasn't a robot. They were feeling hard for the loss of their mother; she by no means blamed them. There were times at night she herself found tears slipping through her closed eyelids at the very memory of her aunt.

But she didn't want to remember at the moment. She didn't want to feel anything. Not the pressure to finish the homework sitting in her backpack that lay on the floor by the door; not the pain of loss; and not the anxiety of whether or not her parents would make the next rent.

_From this chord, to this note…what do you think?_

Her fingers moved melodically down the finger board as her head slowly dipped over the instrument.

_Is it broken…can we work it out…_

So many words began to flood her mind and floated just behind her lips. She couldn't make sense of any of it however. Instead, she grunted. Her weight shifted, her hand moved, a string sprang from its knot and slashed her across the cheek.

The chair turned over as Miharu stumbled back, startled at the sudden pain and shocked at her clumsiness. Curses flew from her mouth that would make passerby wonder if she were the daughter of a sailor. Luckily there were no passerbies. Staring over the instrument, Miharu decided to pack up for the afternoon. Attempting to restring the guitar would only result in further destruction of either the guitar or herself, or possibly both.

--

Yuki had the student council to attend to. Haru went on his way to see Rin. Kyo had the doujo and Tohru…

Momiji pressed his forehead against the glass as he watched his friends walk off the school grounds. Tohru departed in the direction of Shigure's home. Everyone had somewhere to go; they had a purpose. He ached to feel the need to go along with them; to belong.

_Not anymore._ He reminded himself.

To become a ghost and forever haunt the school halls wasn't a first on his list. Pushing away from the glass, Momiji continued down the hallway.

A door slamming shut up ahead caught his attention. Well, the slamming and the few curses that followed soon after.

--

_Not my bag, come on_. Miharu tugged on her school bag only to find it really jammed in the closed door. As if the stinging on her face wasn't an annoyance enough, her temper had to go and get her awkwardly stuck in the doorway of the music room.

Leaning completely forward in an attempt to pull free, Miharu found herself suspended for a few moments and simply rested there.

"Mind if I help?" A voice questioned.

Miharu's eyes widened right before her backpack was released from the doorway and she fell onto her face.

She let out a muffled cry in pain and curled into a small ball in an attempt to make it go away.

_Life, you're pulling my leg here aren't you? Next thing you know it'll be some random hot guy helping me up and I look like a mess with blood smeared across my face and my hair all crazed._

"Are you okay?" The voice questioned before a pair of big blue eyes peered down to meet Miharu's dazed brown.

"Mn, yeah I guess. Thanks." Pulling herself up, Miharu sat with a hand supporting her head and the other supporting her weight.

"I haven't seen someone trap themselves in a door before. It was quite interesting to witness." Momiji commented with a chuckle, fully catching Miharu's attention.

The girl fully took in her surroundings and blushed a deep red when her eyes took in the young Souhma before her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Live to please." She ground out in automatic sarcasm.

The boy's smile faded for a moment before he stood up. At first, Miharu guessed he was going to walk away; but his hand stretched out just before her face.

Glancing up at the Souhma in questioning, Miharu only found a small smile shining down on her in return. Biting the inside of her cheek, Miharu took the offered hand and was instantly pulled up to her feet.

"Thanks," She mumbled, her eyes no longer able to meet his as they stood face to face. Feeling rather embarrassed for snapping at a person who'd just helped her, Miharu found herself falling back on manners. "I'm Miharu…"

The boy's smile grew just slightly. "I'm Momiji. And, you're welcome."

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A/N: Wow, I didn't think I'd stop there. But I didn't want to drag anything out. So...I'm guessing that's it for this one. It turned into more of a teaser than anything...kind of disappointed in that. If I have time sometime in the future, I think I might actually write more about these two. Anyway, I hope this kept you somewhat entertained for awhile. I'm currently working on the next chapter for Learning to Breathe. It definitely won't be another half year before I update again. I don't know what was wrong with me, obviously something because my head is swimming in the Fruits Basket world.

Gah. I'll stop now. Let me know what you think!

-GryffindorHyuuga


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